February 17

The fourth was "Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch." This Herod was not Herod the Great, who massacred the infants in Bethlehem, but his son. To him Manaen was foster brother; that is, he was the son of his nurse; and therefore in his infancy, reared along with him. Let us not pass this slightly over. What different courses do men take who were once in the same condition! Here we see Herod and Manaen, brought up together in the same house: the one becoming a prothigate, a persecutor, the actual murderer of James, and the intentional murderer of Peter, awfully ending his course, being smitten of an angel of the Lord, and eaten of worms; the other becoming a disciple of Jesus, and a preacher of the Gospel—So diverse were the characters of these two individuals, brought up together, playing in the same room, hearing the same voices, and surrounded with the same examples, during the most impressive period of life! Why did Herod reject Christianity? and why did Manaen embrace it? The one was perfectly inexcusable; the other had no reason to be proud, but much reason to be thankful. Men destroy themselves, and will feel guilty in their ruin. But by grace are we saved. The Lord makes us to differ from others; and we have nothing but what we have received.

Manaen therefore was a person of some distinction and quality; and had probably renounced considerable worldly advantage for the sake of religion. Had he joined with his young and royal companion in sin, he might it is likely have gained a place under government, as every kind and degree of relationship is provided for in such cases at the expense of the public; but he resembled Moses, who when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. And was he a loser? He could not be a loser. The lips of truth have said, "There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting."

God generally chooses the poor of this world to be rich in faith. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But there have been always a few; and we should be thankful when we meet with such instances: for though their souls are no more precious than the souls of the vulgar, they are so placed and circumstanced as to be able to be more serviceable in their generation. Thus, as Manaen was a man of education and address, these advantages were now sanctified; and he was therefore immediately and advantageously employed.

The fifth was "Saul;" a character endeared to us as the Apostle of the Gentiles; and one of the most extraordinary individuals recorded in history. We know much concerning him; much from his own writings; and much from the narratives of Luke. When we consider his pharisaism, his persecutions of the Church, his conversion, his zeal, his journeys, sufferings, and services, we readily join him in the acknowledgment: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was exceeding abundant to me ward." And we glorify God in him. What an assortment! What an assemblage was here!